Stream: Nils Frahm – Spaces

Nils Frahm had an early introduction to music. During his childhood he was taught to play piano by Nahum Brodski – a student of the last scholar of Tschaikowski. It was through this that Nils began to immerse himself in the styles of the classical pianists before him as well as contemporary composers.

Today Nils Frahm works as an accomplished composer and producer from his Berlin-based Durton Studio. His unconventional approach to an age-old instrument, played contemplatively and intimately, has won him many fans around the world. For a musician this early in his career, Frahm displays an incredibly developed sense of control and restraint in his work, catching the ear of many fans.

As the recognition continues to grow for his previous solo piano works “Wintermusik” (2009) and “The Bells” (2009), 2011 saw the release of his critically acclaimed record “Felt”. The album was followed by the solo synthesizer EP “Juno” and “Screws” (2012) – a birthday gift to his fans he recorded while recovering from a thumb injury. Nils released his follow up to Juno titled “Juno Reworked” (2013) with guest reworks by Luke Abbott and Clark.

Spaces is an ode to the joy of live performance. It expresses Frahm’s love for experimentation and answers the call from his fans for a record that truly reflects what they witness during his concerts. Breaking the convention of a traditional live release, the album was recorded over the course of two years in different locations and on various media, including old portable reel-to-reel recorders and cassette decks. These moments were later pieced together in his Durton Studio for what Frahm refers to as a collage of field recordings rather than a live album.

One of my favourite pieces of music this year, this album is rather light of our deep feelings, and yet it is full of meaning if we listen closer to it.

Here is the video clip for “Say”, Visual creation by Romain Assénat & Ana Silva with the support of Atelier Graphoui. Improvisation with inks on glass and a video-feedback device, captured live without any post-production.

Here is the Live Recorded and filmed live at Nils Frahm’s London performance on July 11, 2013 at St John-at-Hackney Church: